


Lady Nano

by BritishParty



Category: The Yogscast
Genre: F/M, Yogslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-26 18:24:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2661905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BritishParty/pseuds/BritishParty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Nano is engaged, but she’s not really fond of her fiancé. A visit to Lomadia’s house draws her out of her pampered life and onto the streets - but the fun’s just beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lady Nano

"Nano, hurry up!" Came the harsh call from the lobby downstairs.  
Nano glanced up from where she was fixing her earring in the mirror. They were a recent present from her stupid fiancé, who was currently waiting for her. She hated them every bit as much as she hated marrying him, but her father had promised one of his daughters in marriage for some trade or something.  
She bounced down the stairs, her jewelry clinking against itself in protest. The servants had adorned her with almost every gem she owned - and Nano liked shiny things.  
Her fiancé let out a sigh as she skid to a stop at his side. “Try not to wrinkle your dress. It cost a fortune, you know.”  
“Not like I need the stupid thing,” Nano muttered as he moved away. She hurriedly caught up to him and slipped her arm through his, as she knew was proper for an engaged couple. After a few stumbling attempts at matching his steps, she finally fell into place beside him.  
The door holders - Nano had befriended the ginger one the day before, but couldn’t recall his name for the life of her - pushed open the doors, letting them out into the town.  
Nano’s fiancé let out a small sigh as they continued their brisk pace out the doors and towards the waiting carriage. “I feel so soothed every time I see our house.”  
Nano giggled. “You did design it. You did a great job, by the way.”  
The architect frowned slightly at her words. “If only the prince felt the same way.”  
“Prince Sips? That’s right, you’ve done some work for him, haven’t you?” Nano asked, glancing at his blue eyes steadily fixed on the carriage. Oh, why did their house have to be so far from the road?  
“I’ve worked with him, yes,” her fiancé said. “But that was an age ago.”  
If Nano didn’t know her fiancé better, she could have sworn that he seemed saddened by the thought.   
At last, they reached the carriage, and he pulled the door open for her, bowing with a gentle smile.  
“Thank you, Lord Sjin,” she said softly, curtsying to him before stepping up and into the carriage.  
“My pleasure, Lady Nano,” Sjin replied, shutting the door after her with the tiniest of apologetic smiles.  
Maybe, if things had gone a little differently, Nano wouldn’t have hated marrying him. They’d been friends before the sudden engagement, and only that fragile bond had kept Nano from storming out of his mansion on multiple occasions.  
As the carriage pulled away, Nano caught sight of a different one coming through the gates a short distance away. She leaned forward and squinted through the window. Surely that wasn’t - no, that couldn’t be Prince Sips. Absolutely not. What was he doing here? He and Sjin hadn’t worked together for years.  
The prince seemed nervous, even dressed up as flamboyantly as he was. Well, Nano supposed with a wry chuckle as she glanced at her own sparkling outfit, she shouldn’t be one to judge others’ flamboyancy.  
“Flamboyance,” she mumbled to herself with a childish grin and a giggle.  
She liked that word.  
-  
Her carriage pulled to a stop outside yet another mansion, but this one was far uglier than Sjin’s. Nano guessed that that was the curse of a village without the architect’s touch.  
Her dearest and closest friend was standing there waiting for her, her arms lightly resting on the puff of her deep blue skirt. The gold jewelry Nano could see shining in the sunlight was a beautiful offset, adding to the complementation of her hair.  
“Lom!” Nano squealed as the door swung open. “It’s been forever!”  
Lomadia let out a quiet giggle, wrapping her arms around the tiny girl. She was careful as ever, making sure not to crinkle either of their skirts as she crushed Nano in her grip.  
They broke apart breathlessly as Lomadia’s husband greeted Nano regally, giving her a small nod and a polite smile.  
“Oh, c’mere Xeph,” Nano teased him as she pounced on him and hugged the life out of him.  
“Nano, don’t kill him,” Lomadia laughed, pulling a very giggly Nano off the startled lord.  
“Aww, don’t tell me you grew up,” Nano teased him.  
Xephos’ straight face broke instantly, and he wrinkled his nose, sticking out the tip of his tongue at her. They all laughed then, and Lomadia excitedly told Nano that she’d redone the parlor, and please please please would she like to come see?  
And then of course Nano couldn’t say no, so Lomadia towed her husband along by the arm and made for her parlor. Xephos attempted to escape a couple times, but, hell, no one bests Lomadia.  
The parlor was beautiful as always, this time painted beautifully in a shade of deep blue that matched Lomadia’s dress. It was speckled with stars, and the furniture had the same pattern on it. The wooden parts of the furniture was burnished in what Nano could only assume was gold leaf; real, if Xephos’ wealth was anything to go by.  
Xephos had come into power rather suddenly. His step-brother and best friend Honeydew had found a gold vein quite by accident, and, naturally, split it with Xephos. Lord Honeydew lived in a great palace said to be half underground, in the next town over. His wife was said to have been a terrible flirt in her youth, but these days she more or less took charge of Honeydew’s wealth and land.  
“How’s Sjin?” Xephos asked, not even glancing at the timid servant girl setting their tea down.  
“Insufferable as always,” Nano said with a sigh. “Tell you what, though - I saw Prince Sips coming through the gates as I left.”  
Lomadia opened her mouth to respond, but an urgent knock at the door drew their attention.  
“Yes?” It was Xephos that answered, the redhead serving tea hurriedly going to open the door.  
“A summons has come,” the servant standing in the doorway said.  
“From?” Xephos snapped, already heading out of the parlor and towards the stairs.  
“From Lord Honeydew, sir.”  
“I’m coming too!” Lomadia called as she hurried after the blue-eyed man. “Nano, I’m sorry, but you can entertain yourself, right?”  
Not waiting for an answer, she swept away, leaving the girl in her pale red dress standing indecisively in the middle of the dark blue parlor. The redhead working next to her piled all of the teacups back onto the tray, then finally spoke up.  
“I’ll take you to your room, Lady Nano,” she chirped, her voice determinedly bright and cheery despite her apparent confusion.  
“Yes, thanks - er, what’s your name?” Nano said, grateful for the save but still feeling awkward.  
The redhead beamed at her. “I’m Zoey,” she said. “This way, ma’am.”  
Zoey steered Nano through a tangle of hallways that would have petrified Sjin, bringing her to a room with pale, rosy pink walls and white curtains. Nano thanked her profusely, dismissing her without asking for a thing, which only seemed to confuse her further.  
Nano padded around her room, fiddling with the tassels on the curtains, the covers on the bed, the bottles on the table, everything within reach. The problem with Lom was that she never did anything _fun_. It was all work and no play for that batshit girl.  
Her thoughts slowly turned back to Zoey. Nano guessed she must be popular outside the mansion; her attitude was certainly not that of a servant living on-grounds.  
What must it be like, to work for a noble family? Though Nano liked to think it was regarded as an honor, she knew the truth; most of the servants only worked there because they needed the pay, and would rather take up jobs in town.  
What were the towns like? Nano simply didn’t know, because she had been nobly born and kept separate from the lower classes all her life. She’d only seen snatches of town life, from the times she’d forgotten her manners and leaned forward to see out the window. She’d like to see it again, perhaps.  
Maybe she could ask Zoey. The girl was sweet, and polite. Surely she wouldn’t mind taking the noble through town. The more Nano considered it, the more it appealed to her.  
Not wasting a moment, Nano rang the bell. She soon heard footsteps approach, and then a knock on the door.  
“Come in,” she called.  
The door was pushed open, and, much to Nano’s relief, it was Zoey. She didn’t know how the servants would react if she were to ask for the redhead.  
“Zoey,” she said, “I want to go into town.”  
“You?” Zoey frowned slightly. “You’re a noble - do you know how much of a ruckus there would be if you just turned up in the street?”  
“Really?” Nano twisted her lips, thinking. “Could you find me some less flashy clothes - like what you’re wearing?”  
“Er - what about all your makeup and stuff?” Zoey said uncertainly.  
Nano waved her away. “I’ll deal with that. Just get me some clothes.  
“Oh, and Zoey?” She asked hesitantly. “Don’t tell anyone, okay?”  
“Yeah, sure,” Zoey tossed over her shoulder as she trotted away.  
Nano stepped back into her room, sinking onto a cushioned rose-print chair. All of her upbringing told her to stop this madness, but her curiosity said to continue. She’d already sent Zoey to get clothes for her; she couldn’t very well back out now.  
She got up, moving to the table with the mirror. She quickly took off all of her jewelry, dumping it in a pile in the first desk drawer. Feeling harried for time, she did her best to clean off the makeup the servants had put on her that morning. She looked rather plain, or so she thought, as she sat back on the chair.  
Zoey returned with a bundle of cloth in varying shades of brown and grays. Nano took them and told her to go wait outside, saying she’d be out when she was done.  
Zoey had brought her a pair of light gray - almost white - cotton leggings, which were comfy enough, and a loose shirt made of decently spun brown wool. In the place of her corset, there was a surprisingly loose sleeveless bodice with, even more shockingly, both a bent and busks.  
Nano slipped into the clothes, pleased by how comfortable they actually were. Either Zoey must get good wages, or lower class clothes were better than she’d expected.  
“Thanks, Zoey,” Nano said quietly as she joined the redhead out in the hallway.  
“Oh, ah, it’s not a problem,” Zoey said lightly, though she seemed jumpy. “Come on, we can go out through the kitchen.”  
Nano nodded, fiddling with a stray strand of her hair. She must be recognized by no one; being seen like this would bring unbearable shame upon not only her, but Sjin, and her father and sisters.  
Zoey didn’t quite seem to understand this as she steered Nano towards the bustling kitchens. The noble stopped short at the sight, not budging when Zoey tugged at her arm.  
“I can’t go in there,” she hissed between her teeth. “Someone will recognize me for sure.”  
Zoey pushed her forward. “Half of these people haven’t even seen the Lord and Lady, so there’s no way they’ll know you.”  
Nano sighed, but let herself be dragged into the chaos of the kitchen. She held tight to Zoey’s hand, terrified of getting lost in the mess of cooks and errand boys and servants’ children. She was amazed when they managed to emerge from the kitchen door, crouching by the dustbins as they tried to catch their breath.  
“Hey, Zoey, who’s that?” A blonde man, looking only a few years older than Nano, came out of the kitchens.  
“Oh, uh - um - ah,” Zoey stuttered, her mind no doubt whirring to find an excuse.  
“I’m her half-sister,” Nano said defensively.  
The blonde raised one eyebrow. “Sure,” he said, though he clearly didn’t believe her. “What’re you doing?”  
“I’m from the village over,” Nano said before Zoey could start stammering again. “Zoey was gonna show me around.”  
If Nano’s father, her fiancé, or any of her sisters had been around, they would’ve flinched over the way she let her voice roughen, the words blending together pleasantly.  
The man laughed. “Oh, I can do that better than you can. Anyway, you have to look after miss Lady-Stuck-Up in there.”  
Zoey bit her lip, her eyes sliding to Nano. There was barely concealed rage in her eyes, but the blonde hadn’t noticed it yet; with any luck, he wouldn’t.  
“What’d you call her?” Nano’s voice was deadly soft as she spoke, Zoey frantically signaling for her to not say anything.  
The man glanced at her, startled by the look in her eyes. “Geez, sorry,” he muttered. “It’s just that she married one of the richest guys around and she acts like she hates it.  
“Anyway,” he said, switching subjects completely, “C’mon. I’ll show you around.” He bent down, offering one hand to the tiny girl that looked like she was about to bite him.  
Nano saw what he was implying. She grabbed his hand and pulled herself to her feet, meeting him eye to eye with gritted determination.  
“Sure,” she said. “Let’s go to town.”  
Zoey glanced between the two, the challenge passed between them totally lost to her terrified gaze. “Rythian won’t be happy,” she mumbled sourly as she pushed herself up, not meeting their eyes.  
“Oh, right - I was gonna ask if you could keep him off me for the day, while I’ve got her with me.” He nodded towards Nano.  
Zoey scowled at him. “I don’t control him, you know. He doesn’t listen to me.”  
“Even though you’re in looooove?” The man stretched the word out, emphasizing it with a roll of his eyes.  
Nano giggled, and he gave her a grin. Zoey opened her mouth, but the man was pulling the noble girl away already. Nano gave a little wave to Zoey, then turned and ran with him.  
“Don’t think I caught your name,” the man said as they heard Zoey frantically telling the errand boy to go chase them down and _bring her back._  
“Didn’t get yours either,” Nano said in between breaths. “I’m Nano.”  
If he thought anything odd that she had the same name as the noble girl supposedly inside, he said nothing of it. “Lalna,” he said. “Simply chuffed to meet you.”  
The errand boy had actually taken up running after them, though. Lalna gestured for Nano to continue, and dropped back to deal with him.  
Casting a glance over her shoulder, she saw him tackle the boy - who couldn’t have been more than sixteen - to the ground. His mouth moved quickly, and the boy’s face contorted in fear. Lalna got up off him, and the boy turned and began to jog back the way he’d come.  
“He won’t be back,” Lalna said as he joined Nano again. “I told him I’d set Tee on him if he kept following us.”  
“Tee?” Nano asked.  
“Rythian’s dog,” the blonde explained. “I found him, so he kind of listens to me, but Rythian raised him so technically Tee’s his.”  
“What kind of dog?” Nano said conversationally as they stepped onto the cobbled road that led to town.  
“We think he’s a hunting dog-race dog mix that someone abandoned. Wouldn’t want to mess with him,” Lalna said with a chuckle.  
“I’ll keep it in mind,” Nano muttered.  
“So, what were you planning to do?” Lalna said. “Since I stole you from Zoey.”  
Nano shrugged. “She was just gonna show me around, really. I haven’t been in any towns before.”  
“Really?” Lalna glanced at her curiously, shrugging it off as he grabbed her hand and pulled her off the path, taking a shortcut through the trees.  
“I just never needed to,” Nano said defensively, glaring at him as though he’d done something wrong.  
“Oh, I know!” Lalna said with a grin, turning to her. “Let’s go to the library.”  
Nano raised one eyebrow. “The library? Of all places, there?”  
“You looked like the reading type,” Lalna grumbled defeatedly, turning away.  
“No, no, it’s fine,” Nano said quickly. “I’ve never been to a library.”  
Not a town library, anyway, she thought. Only the posh libraries with history books and boring things like that.  
Lalna grinned. “We can waste some time in the library - there’ll be more to do after hours.”  
The blonde set off, Nano close on his heels. She was startled by the way the buildings loomed overhead, almost blocking out the sky. They pressed in on all sides, as if trying to coax her into running back to Lom’s house, where she’d be treated regally and properly again.  
The library was next to a small bookstore - there seemed to be no one else around, aside from the few people stalking down the streets with some clear purpose.  
“Er - shouldn’t you be working?” Nano couldn’t help but ask as Lalna pushed open the doors.  
“Nah,” he said with a chuckle. “I work as Lord Xephos’ - well, I guess ‘personal butler’ would be the best way to say it. He’s away, so I get the time off, and so do the rest of his personal servants.”  
“Does it ever get tiring, working for him?” The question slipped past her lips before she had time to think about it.  
Lalna laughed. “Oh, all the time. I’ve worked for him, day in, day out, for the past year, and he doesn’t know my name.”  
“No, I’m sure he does,” Nano protested. The offhand way he’d said it made her feel guilty for all the servants she had working for her, most of whom she didn’t know.  
Lalna laughed. “If he does, he never uses it. Never thanks me, either.”  
“Sj - Lord Sjin calls me by name,” Nano told him.  
“You work for him?” Lalna glanced at her, stepping into the library.  
Nano followed him in. “Yeah. I serve his tea.”  
The blonde studied her face. Nano met his eyes steadily, hoping he wouldn’t see through the lie. “Odd for him to know the name of someone for something simple as that,” he commented, turning away to stride into the library.  
Nano shrugged. She actually had no clue what the name of the girl that served both of them tea was. With any luck, she wouldn’t need to find out. After all, this was just a way to pass time while Lom was out.  
She drifted off into the rows of shelves, delighted to find an array of distinctly non-history related titles. She picked a couple about myths and magic and the like, finding Lalna in a tiny corner of the small library. She silently threw herself into the chair next to him as she picked up her book with a soft smile to herself.  
They spent God knows how long in the library, reading and giggling to each other over the tops of their books. Lalna had picked up an incredibly dull book on theories and science, and he would occasionally look up to find Nano making faces at the title. This sent them into small fits of trying to contain their laughter and miserably failing. The one time Lalna tried retaliating, their laughter was so loud that it made them laugh more - and, ultimately, got them kicked out of the library.  
Much to Nano’s dismay and Lalna’s relief, it was darkening as they stepped out into the street. His face broke into a grin, but hers shattered as her lips twisted into a regretful pout.  
“What is it?” He said, glancing at her face. “The best parts of this town should be opening up.”  
“I have to go,” she mumbled dejectedly.  
“What? No,” he protested. “You can’t go, we haven’t done anything yet.”  
Nano laughed, though the sound was mostly humorless. “I need to be back at Xe- the Lord’s before they get back.”  
Lalna grinned. “They won’t be back for a while. Lord Honeydew calls them away for ‘urgent business’ a lot, but that’s really nothing more than an excuse to see Lord Xephos again.”  
Nano felt a smile tug at her lips - that happened a lot around Lalna. She let her lips curl up, the smile blossoming across her face as her eyes lit up. The blonde met her gaze, reading the thoughts running through her mind and over her face.  
“We should go to the theatre,” he said. “That’s always nice at the end of the day.”  
She chuckled softly. “The end of the day or the beginning of the night?”  
“The beginning of the night, if you care to stay,” he answered, his eyes brightening.  
Lalna led her towards the public theatre, joining the lower class throng that surged around the entrance. He wanted to pay, but Nano refused; she paid not only for entrance, but for the cheapest seats that were usually reserved for the wealthier lower class. That said, it really was just a seat in the place of where the lower classes typically stood.  
He shot her a curious glance as she almost walked towards the stairs that led to the high class raised seats, but she just laughed it off and headed for the seats she’d started for.  
“What’s the play?” She asked quietly as they focused their attention on the stage.  
“ _The Castle Spectre_ , by Matthew Lewis,” he whispered back. “I’ve heard it’s a dramatic romance, which sounds amusing.”  
Nano giggled softly, receiving a glare from a portly woman she could swear she’d seen in the kitchens. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing up at the elevated high class thrones she was used .  
The play was the best one she’d been to yet - or maybe it was just the blonde sitting next to her. Either way, she loved it, long as it was.  
When it was over, there were no regal exits, nor any long, tediously polite conversations with the actors. Nano and Lalna spilled out of the entrance with the throng of semi-clean lower class men and women, holding tightly to each other’s hands. Nano had never felt so simply blissful and happy in her life; the lights around them, the laughter, the merriment - she’d give anything for a life like this.  
“What next?” She had to almost yell it to be heard over the excited babble.  
“To the bar!” Lalna cried in response, his face lit up as he pulled her down the street.  
Seeing the two set off in the direction everyone knew was the ever-popular Crooked Caber, people in the crowd peeled away, following them down the dimly lit streets. Laughter from the theatre began to fade into the background as giddy laughter spilled from the brightly lit doorway of the Crooked Caber.  
Lalna grinned broadly at her, leading her into the bar that everyone in town loved. He called cheerily to the bartender, Ravs, who told Minty - the poor waitress he’d hired - to get them a couple of drinks on the house.  
“This your woman for the night?” He asked jauntily, no doubt drunk as he nodded in Nano’s direction.  
Nano started indignantly as Lalna just laughed and shook his head. “She’s a close friend,” he said.  
Minty handed Lalna a mug of beer, which he downed almost instantly. The flux wine that the waitress handed Nano was still in the bottle. Abandoning all manners and all of her upbringing, Nano opened the bottle and took a drink, smiling widely as she set it back down.  
Ravs laughed. “The girl’s competin’ with you, Lals,” he told the blonde. To Nano, he added, “This man here can out-drink anyone in town. Got lots of practice, I’m sure.”  
“Oh really?” Nano couldn’t help it as the challenge slipped past her lips. Aside from that one time with Sjin, Xeph, and Lom, she couldn’t actually recall getting properly drunk. Especially not on cheap wine.  
Ravs laughed. “That’s the spirit.” He turned back to Minty, his grin widening evilly. “Get plenty of mugs, Minty, we’re gonna be here awhile.”  
Nano giggled, picking up the bottle of flux wine again. She took another swig as Lalna drained the last of his mug. Minty was there instantly, handing him another. When Nano set the wine down, she found it swapped for an iron mug the same as Lalna’s.  
Narrowing her eyes but unable to hide her smile, she picked up the beer and drank.  
And that’s how they finished the night. Lalna drank, Ravs stacking his beer mugs to the side and handing him a new one whenever he finished. Nano drank, Minty carefully arranging her empty iron mugs to the other side.  
They began to argue with one another, the entire bar laughing at their antics. They were too drunk to think clearly, their words slurring messily. Nano, up until she started blacking out, loved every second of dizzy drunkenness.  
She woke up the next morning with the worst headache of her life, memories of the best day she’d ever had, and the best friend she’d ever known sleeping on the floor next to her.  
Ravs had evaluated that they were far, far too drunk to walk home - which they were. He’d given them a room in back for the night, though Minty had wryly guessed they were also too drunk to walk there - which they were. The waitress and bartender had half carried, half dragged the pair to the back room. With his last remaining consciousness - it was amazing he was awake at all - Lalna had refused the bed and gestured (or so they assumed) for Nano to take it.  
Nano glanced in the tiny mirror in their room long enough to pat her hair down and try to make it more presentable. Lalna was sprawled across the floor, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. The tiny girl stepped carefully over him, around the trunk at the foot of the bed, and out into a small corridor. She could see the bar, now a small coffee shop for workers taking their lunch break.  
Minty gave her a warm smile as she emerged, settling herself at a table by the counter. The waitress brought her a glass of water, her laughter quiet when Nano thanked her softly and rubbed at her temples.  
After a few minutes, a very blurry-looking Lalna emerged as well, his shirt askew and his hair completely tangled and messy. Nano laughed at the sight of him, looking somewhat bewildered and yet still grumpy. He couldn’t help but break into a grin as he sank into the chair across from her.  
“Oi, Lalna, another drinking contest?” A voice called from across the bar; it was a burly-looking man with a pickaxe resting against the leg of his chair.  
The blonde laughed. “Yeah, Strippin. And this little girl here almost beat me. Better than you did.”  
“Hey, don’t diss my mate,” the white-haired man sitting next to Strippin protested.  
“It’s cool, Benji, it’s cool,” Strippin assured him with a laugh as he turned back to face his partner.  
Lalna laughed with him as he faced Nano again, the surprised-but-not-really look on her face making him giggle childishly. He almost immediately regretted it, though, as he lifted one hand to his head with a wince.  
“How come you don’t have a headache?” He whined, as though anyone could drink that amount of beer and still be fine.  
Nano laughed, but grimaced partway through. “Trust me. I do.”  
That set them both off, until Minty drifted over and scolded them for being so reckless. Didn’t they have any _idea_ how much _beer_ they’d drunken, didn’t they _worry_ it would make them _ill_?  
The pair waved her off, struggling to hold in bursts of laughter they knew would only hurt. The smile on Lalna’s face died as he spotted something outside the window that made him freeze, worry flickering briefly over his expression. Nano twisted in her seat to look, her eyes widening at the sheer size of the dog that was staring directly at them.  
Her gaze flicked to the tall man standing just behind it, his eyes narrowed and his expression tight. There was a thick black scarf pulled over his jaw, along with an odd pale stripe in his hair.  
“Lalna,” she squeaked, “Who’s that?”  
“Shit,” he muttered. “It’s Rythian.”  
He shoved back his chair, grabbing her arm without further explanation. He roughly dragged her off down the corridor that led to the room they’d stayed in last night, but this time he took a left down a tiny passage that was so thin they could barely walk down it. Yet they managed to run, Lalna slamming open the door at the end and tumbling out into the alleyway behind the Crooked Caber.  
But, somehow, there was someone waiting for them. He wore a poet shirt underneath a large black overcoat with gold trim, and his ginger hair puffed up in a way that probably wasn’t possible.  
“Crap,” Lalna swore softly, pushing Nano behind him. “Ridge, what’d you want?”  
Ridge laughed. “I owe Rythian a favor. He took care of some… business for me.” The king of the underworld grinned, Nano only just noticing the flash of metal beneath his coat. She stared at it, shocked when she could make out the barely disconcernable shape of a flintlock.  
Lalna growled lowly. “So, what, you’re not letting us past?”  
Ridge laughed. “Precisely. Well, actually, the girl’s the one he’s after, but I’m sure he’ll enjoy it if you’re still here.”  
“‘The girl?’” Lalna said with raised eyebrows. “You’re talking as though you don’t know her name.”  
The king of the underworld grinned. “You know me all too well, my dear Lalna.” He took a step forward with one foot, dropping into a low bow with a sweep of his arm. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, my lovely lady Nano.”  
Nano flinched as his amber eyes flashed maliciously. He knew, of course, what she had hoped no one would; he also knew Lalna wouldn’t pick up on his use of the word, but, still - one had to play the game properly if they were to play at all, right?  
Just as he rose, he heard footsteps rush down the alleyway towards them. He smiled politely, making them both flinch at the hint of malice in the typically kind gesture.  
And then the king of the underworld turned, and strode off down the alley, dissolving into the main street without a moment’s pause.  
The dog barked, and the enormous thing came bounding around the corner, his tongue hanging out and his ears upright. He ran right up to them, the perfect image of a loving family dog.  
“Hey, Tee,” Lalna greeted him affectionately, rubbing behind his ears and grinning back at him.  
“Tee, come on.” Rythian interrupted their reunion sharply. The dog bounded over to his side, turning to growl at them with a sudden change of heart.  
Lalna sighed, leaning back against the wall. The terror he’d shown at Ridge’s appearance was gone now, leaving bored irritation in its wake. “He always did like you more,” the blonde said coldly, surveying the dog.  
Nano tugged on his arm hurriedly. The motion drew the attention of both Lalna and Rythian, the latter stepping forward with one hand extended.  
“Come on, Nano,” he said. “Zoey’s worried sick.”  
Nano found herself instantly glued to Lalna’s side, one of the blonde’s arms pinning her there. “No,” Lalna said flatly. “She’s staying with me, Rythian. She’s not scared of me.”  
“I - uh,” Nano said softly, coughing nervously, “I should probably be going back anyway.”  
“No,” Lalna protested again, but this time there was emotion in his voice as he argued with her.  
“It’s quite all right,” she said hurriedly, glancing from Lalna to Rythian and back again. “I’ll see you again if I’m in town, okay?” Leaning up on the tips of her toes, she kissed both of Lalna’s cheeks, smiling softly at him.  
Lalna bent down and planted a soft, gentle kiss on her lips, mirroring her smile as he stepped back. His eyes shone sadly, and he clearly didn’t want to let her go.  
But Rythian reached forward and grabbed her hand, roughly pulling her away. She giggled lightly, waving goodbye, but there was no happiness in her heartbroken expression.  
Lalna raised his hand in farewell and turned to slip back into the Crooked Caber, and then Nano was pulled around the corner and thrown onto the back of a wagon.  
Rythian hopped up next to her. He didn’t smile, or even say anything; he fixed his eyes on Tee, who was trotting after the cart steadily.  
After a few moments, Nano coughed uncertainly. Rythian turned to look at her, curiosity almost hidden in his purple eyes.  
“Where are we going?” She said.  
“Back to the Lord and Lady’s,” Rythian replied flatly.  
Well, that was a short conversation. Nano sourly looked away, scanning the buildings as the wagon slowly trundled along.  
What would happen if she jumped off? They weren’t going that fast, but that meant Rythian could probably follow her.  
She lunged forward, all the way out of the cart, but then she felt a hand on her shirt. Rythian roughly dragged her back in, letting her sit next to him with her legs dangling over the edge.  
“Don’t look towards your next move,” he said quietly.  
“Can I please just go?” Nano whined. Her failed escape had drawn attention, and now passersby were glancing at the tiny girl and the tall man on the back of a wagon, as well as the dog following them. Most of them knew Rythian, and recognized his posture and expression enough to realize Nano was his captive.  
Rythian sighed. “Zoey’s told me who you are. I can’t let you wander rogue anymore.”  
Nano opened her mouth to protest, but Rythian turned to her sharply, his eyes burning with intensity. “You ran into the king of the underworld,” he hissed. “And he knew who you were.”  
The tiny girl, taken aback by the fury in his steady purple gaze, blinked once or twice. “You’re worried about me?” She managed. “He only showed up to help you. I wouldn’t have met him if not for you!” Her voice was steadily rising as she spoke.  
“Keep it down!” Rythian snarled quietly, glancing at the passersby. “I’m not worried about you,” he said more gently. “Zoey is.”  
Nano’s eyes widened briefly in surprise, but she nodded. They fell silent for a while, Rythian turning away to watch Tee again.  
“You love her,” Nano said softly.  
Rythian’s eyes slid to the side, though he didn’t face her. “Yeah,” he agreed quietly. “I do.“  
Do you love him?”  
The question caught Nano off guard, making her eyes flitter over Rythian’s face, trying to pick up any signs of a joke. There was none, and Nano let out a sigh.  
“No, Sjin’s a complete idiot when it comes love,” she informed him.  
“I agree,” Rythian said. “But I wasn’t talking about Lord Sjin.”  
“Lalna?” She felt a blush creep onto her face, heating her cheeks. “No, of course not,” she snapped a little too quickly.  
Rythian sighed as though he hadn’t noticed. “And here I was, hoping I’d finally found a woman that could break his heart.”  
Nano laughed, but her face got redder. “Sorry to disappoint,” she said in an attempt at sounding casual, but it only sounded childish.  
“Come on,” Rythian said decidedly, leaping off the wagon. Nano jumped after him, about to run, but then Tee growled and she thought, Okay, maybe she _was_ better off going with the man that was stealing her.  
He led her through a small patch of trees and onto a dirt path. They walked in complete silence for a while, finally coming into sight of the kitchen doors and an anxious redhead.  
“Oh, thank God you found her,” Zoey said hurriedly, running up to grab Nano’s hand. “My lady, we have to get you back inside. The Lord and Lady’s carriage will be here in a few minutes.”  
Without another word, Nano felt herself pulled off by the energetic and very jumpy redhead. She waved goodbye to Rythian and Tee with her free hand, noting warmly to herself the smile that she could make out under the man’s scarf.  
But then the peaceful, timeless state Rythian seemed to carry with him was torn away as the kitchen doors were pulled open and Nano tumbled in.  
It was almost comforting now, the bustle of activity and the hectic yells and clanging. Nano would miss it, when she had to sit in stuffy parlor rooms and find ways to fill the silences that never filled themselves.  
But then they were out of the kitchens and into the halls, empty except for the few servants running around and preparing for the return of their Lord and Lady.  
Nano was pushed up the stairs and back into her pale pink room, with the bottles on the desk and the drapes on the windows and the expensive furniture littering the room. Zoey hurriedly dressed her, only throwing an expensive red and gold dress over the clothes she was wearing. It was her favorite dress, but it made her feel ugly and showy. It almost seemed unbearably itchy in comparison to the lower class clothes flattened against her skin.  
Zoey excused herself, saying she had to go welcome Lady Lomadia back, and left Nano to assemble her jewelry, which was a task and a half.  
She had two pretty, red crystalline flowers that held her tangle of hair out of her face - it was messy, but a glance in the mirror left it as passable - and a small matching flower to pin the collar of her red dress up. There was a thin gold chain that she put around her neck, and an array of gold bands that went on her right wrist.  
Making sure that the white leggings were completely out of sight under the long dress, Nano turned and hurried down the stairs, a black-haired servant pulling open the door just as she reached it. She nodded her thanks to him, stepping out into the sunlight.  
Down the path, Lord Xephos was helping Lady Lomadia - no, _Xeph_ was helping Lom out of the carriage. She waved to them, Lomadia waving back excitedly. They approached her side by side, their arms linked in a taunting example of the perfect couple.  
“I’m so sorry for leaving you all alone, Nano,” Lomadia said as they reached her, letting go of Xephos long enough to hug her.  
Nano giggled. “It’s quite all right. I had fun.”  
Lomadia raised her eyebrows. “What did you do?”  
A scheming giggle was all she got in response, making her roll her eyes. Xephos, as always, remained straight-faced while they laughed and joked.  
And Lomadia tugged the two of them off into the mansion again, missing the glance Nano shared with a redheaded servant as they passed her.  
Of course, Lomadia spent the day lounging in their parlor about telling Nano all of the rumors flying around. She almost coughed up her tea as another thought rose to her mind.  
“You will not _believe_ what I heard,” she told Nano excitedly. “It’s about Sjin.”  
“Oh, Christ, what’s the idiot done now?” Nano groaned.  
“What has, Nano - and it’s to do with Prince Sips,” she corrected her friend, then hurried on, “Since you left, it seems the prince is staying with Sjin.”  
“What?” Nano frowned. “Why would he do that when I’m away?”  
Lom giggled delightedly. “Exactly. So, rumor is that he’s there _because_ you’re away.”  
“What?” Nano’s face crinkled as she tried to put the pieces together.  
“He gets Sjin all to himself,” Lomadia added, trying to help her catch on as quickly as she could.  
“No,” Nano said with a disbelieving snort. “Wouldn’t happen.”  
Lomadia laughed, leaning back and taking another sip of tea. “We’ll never know,” she said.  
The outrageous rumors already said, they spent the rest of the evening talking about nothing in particular. It was, as Nano thought, incredibly boring. She felt energy rush through her veins as she thought of yesterday; the theatre, the crowds, the bar, the drinking competition, all of it.  
And then they turned in for the night, Zoey guiding Nano back to her room. The redhead told her Sjin had arranged for a carriage to pick her up shortly after noon tomorrow, and she had better be ready to go by then.  
So, Nano slept restlessly, waking briefly to wish she was back in the bar, or sprawled across the floor with a headache, or laughing in the streets with Lalna at her side. Anywhere but here, in an expensive bed, in expensive nightclothes, in an expensive room.  
But morning rolled around, and she dressed again in the heavy pale pink dress Sjin had given to her before she left. The wide skirt was bejeweled with tiny gems and white lace, and she took the pile of crystal jewelry from the drawer and one of the red flowers she’d worn yesterday, and put them back on, until she felt fake and ridiculous and everything in between. At least she’d refused to take off the lower class clothes she was still wearing beneath her dress, and that comforted her in the face of everything.  
Of course, they had to stay in Lomadia’s parlor one last time, so they ate a very dainty breakfast there. Xephos refused to participate in their conversation (and Nano didn’t blame him), making Lomadia huff indignantly.  
The servants waited on them and they discussed politics, exhausting every subject available because it seemed silence wasn’t allowed in a mansion. If you were wealthy, it seemed you must always be talking and talking and talking.  
There was a knock at the door, and Xephos glanced out the window. “Nano, your carriage is here,” he told her, rising to his feet.  
Zoey, the only serving girl in the room, opened the door. The servant standing there shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, his eyes skimming over the people in the room.  
And then his green eyes fell on Nano, and he froze, ignoring Xephos when he told him to move.  
“Nano,” he breathed, barely understandable underneath Xephos’ voice.  
Lomadia was glancing between the two, trying to figure out what had locked them in place, putting the confused look on the servant’s face and the startled one on Nano’s.  
“Lalna,” Nano murmured softly, her expression hopeless but also, somehow, pained.  
The blonde turned and ran, sprinting down hallways and continuing until his footsteps faded away. Lomadia stared at Nano, who was following Xephos out as though she was in a daze.  
“Wait,” she said, grabbing Nano’s arm, “You knew him.”  
Nano’s blank eyes flew wide as though someone had hit a switch, and a blur of emotions flew across her face. “Oh, crap,” she muttered, making Lom flinch at her language.  
“Tell Sjin I’m sorry!” She yelled over her shoulder as she took off, flying down the hallway after him.  
She stopped the black-haired servant she’d seen earlier, blabbing something along the lines of did-Lalna-go-this-way? He pointed down the hall shakily, fear plain in his eyes, though she ignored it.  
Nano ran down the hall, growling in annoyance when her dress got in the way. She recognized the door to the kitchens and burst in, drawing the eyes of everyone there. Her dress glimmered in the light of the ovens, her jewelry clinking together as complete silence fell.  
“Lalna,” she gasped out, and the large woman nearest to her - the one she’d seen in the theatre two days ago - pointed to the door that led out back.  
Nodding her thanks, she ran past the people that moved out of her way, ignoring the stares of the people she passed.  
She burst out of the doors, and there he was, leaning numbly against a tree across the lawn.  
Nano went up to him quietly, leaning against a tree not far away.  
“You didn’t tell me,” Lalna said tightly, a failed attempt to keep emotion out of his voice.  
And then Nano realized what she’d done, just how much trust she’d destroyed.  
“There’s a carriage out front for me,” she said. “It’s going to take me away, back to a marriage with one of the richest men alive and an easy lifestyle.”  
“Have fun,” he said flatly.  
“But I’m not out front, getting in that carriage,” she continued as though he hadn’t spoken. “I’m standing back here with you.”  
“I wonder why,” he said, in the most bored tone he could manage, but Nano didn’t miss the tiny spark of hope beneath his façade.  
“Because I hate that marriage as much as I don’t love the rich man, and as much as that life will bore me.  
“That day, Lalna,” she pressed, taking a step towards him, “That day was the first day I felt alive. That day was the first day I made a friend, instead of having them being handed to me. I liked that day.”  
“So did I,” he said quietly, his eyes trained on the ground.  
The sound of ripping fabric made him look up, surprised to see Nano quite literally tearing her dress off. She let the expensive pink fabric, covered in gems, fall to the ground. She took off her crystal necklace, her sparkling bracelets, all of it except the red flower in her hair.  
And then, clad in loose commoners’ clothes, she offered one hand to Lalna.  
“Can I relive that day with you, today and every day?” She asked softly.  
Lalna reached for her hand, unable to stop himself. Instead of bending and kissing it as he should’ve, to show her rank over him, he just smiled, making her heart skip a beat.  
“Of course, Nano.”


End file.
